Timothy J. Clarke - The Presence of a New and Better You - Part 2

I would invite you to open your Bibles to Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2. These verses may be some of the best-known and most familiar words written and authored by the Apostle Paul in all of his writings. Now, that’s saying a lot because, as I said to Sister Watkins at noon today, the Apostle Paul is responsible for close to two-thirds of the New Testament. He is a very prolific man, and yet I would suggest that verses 1 and 2 of Romans chapter 12 are some of Paul’s best-known words among all of his writings. First and second Corinthians, of course, the book of Romans, first and second Thessalonians, Ephesians, Galatians, Colossians, and Philippians—all of those are attributed to Paul. Additionally, the book of Philemon is also attributed to Paul.

Romans 12:1 and 2 reads: «I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.» He goes on to say, «For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.»

Rep Nancy, I want to do something tonight, and I have been kind of working on this all day today. I have been lifting familiar passages of Scripture and seeking to give them a fresh perspective. Now, I want you to hear what I’m going to say because it is key to what I’m going to do. I am NOT trying to give them a new interpretation. My brothers and sisters, this is important, and the reason why I want to emphasize this is that, Pastor Kelly, we are told that no Scripture is of any private interpretation. Amen? In fact, I often tell people who come to me, whether they be preachers or laypersons, and they say, «I’ve got a new revelation.» I respond, «I don’t know if there is a new revelation; there may be new insight or illumination about the revelation, but the revelation has already been revealed.» Are y’all with me?

Now, I know when I teach this, I often have people who push back, and I have some preacher friends who take me to task about it, but I’m going to stand on it, Patrick, until God shows me differently. I don’t believe God is giving any more revelation. I believe that the Bible is God’s written word—that is God’s written revelation. Now, the Holy Spirit is always downloading fresh insight and illumination from observation about the revelation, but it’s only illumination on the already revealed truth. I need y’all to hear what I’m saying.

So, what I’m going to say tonight is that I am not trying to give another revelation on this text. What I hope to do is offer another interpretation of it so that we might see it in a manner more akin to what Paul had in mind when he originally wrote it. Are you in the room with me?

Today at noon, I dealt with the passage in Philippians chapter 2, where Paul says, «Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.» I told the church at the noon service that the word «you» in Philippians 2:5 is not in the singular; it’s in the plural. So, watch this: when Paul says, «Let this mind be in you,» he was not addressing that to an individual; he was addressing it to the whole church.

I like this! Can you imagine a local congregation—because that’s who Paul wrote to in Philippians—a local congregation where the whole church, from the youngest to the oldest, operates with the mind of Christ? Now, Paul is not saying that it is wrong or bad for an individual to have the mind of Christ, but I would argue that it is so much better if the whole church possesses the mind of Christ. For instance, Pastor Kelly, can I borrow you for a moment? My brother, he’s looking sharp in that three-piece black suit! I want y’all to see him, in case you missed him. Now, I posit that Pastor Kelly is a godly man; therefore, if Pastor Kelly has the mind of Christ and the Lord speaks to him, saying, «I want something to happen…»